CBS Sacramento » My Say On Blu Rayhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com
News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of SacramentoTue, 31 Mar 2015 20:52:42 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/1e592dab1a834e9f02fdb648f19487a6?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.png » My Say On Blu Rayhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com
‘Adventure Time: Frost & Fire’http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2015/03/06/adventure-time-frost-fire/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2015/03/06/adventure-time-frost-fire/#commentsSat, 07 Mar 2015 00:32:42 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=314135Any Adventure Time does not disappoint and Adventure Time: Frost & Fire continues that tradition. This is a fantastic series that has millions of viewers. ]]>Any Adventure Time does not disappoint and Adventure Time: Frost & Fire continues that tradition. This is a fantastic series that has millions of viewers.

It’s no surprise since viewers young and old find entertainment while watching Finn the Human and his best friend Jake as they travel through the Land of Ooo.

Frost & Fire is a great compilation DVD that brings together 16 of the best episodes from the fifth season. The only disappointment I have is that there are no special features.

It’s one of my favorite Disney movies because of the fun plot, the dogs (who doesn’t love puppies?) and of course, Cruella De Vil. Admittedly she used to scare me as a child, not only for her brashness and loud, overbearing nature, but that she actually wanted to skin dogs and make them into coats. Now that I’m grown, she stands out in my mind as probably the most sinister and memorable villains. Disney always knew how to make villains so bad they could scare the pants off kids, and the company still does today, which it chose not to do in “Frozen”, interestingly enough.

Disney included several bonus features that appeal to fans of all ages in this edition. First off, you have “The Further Adventures of Thunderbolt”. He’s the hero dog the puppies love to watch on TV. You never get to see the end of the episode they’re watching in the movie…until now. It’s everything you’d expect to see in a 50s serial. It’s campy and fun, an obvious parody of cartoons of the time. Even kids will get a chuckle out of the final line uttered by Thunderbolt’s human sidekick: “It wasn’t me who brought you to justice Dawson. It was Thunderbolt the wonder dog.”

New to this edition is “Lucky Dogs” in which you hear from the artists who worked on various aspects of 101 Dalmations. They share their fond memories of working at Disney, and in particular, reminisce about taking part in making this film. I didn’t know that the same time this movie was being made, Disney was facing huge cutbacks. They were so big that layoffs following “Sleeping Beauty”, which was created with 600 animators, reduced the number for animators used in 101 Dalmations to only 300. Rumors were flying that animated features might have to be stopped altogether because of their high production costs. But a device came along at just the right time and cut costs while increasing Disney’s output: The Xerox photocopier. It allowed them to transfer artwork to acetate sheets without having to be traced.

There’s also a feature that the kids will like called “The 411 On The 101”, hosted by actor Cameron Boyce. It’s a short YouTube-style feature all about Dalmations trivia on kid’s level. I thought he was a little goofy and he tried a little too hard to be funny.

I recommend picking up a copy. It’s another well-done classic Disney edition that can’t be missed.

Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0), English (DTS-HD High Res Audio), French (Dolby Digital

5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Dubbed: French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: G (General Audience)

Studio: Walt Disney Studios

DVD Release Date: February 10, 2015

Run Time: 79 minutes

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2015/02/13/101-dalmatians-diamond-edition-2-disc-blu-ray-dvd-digital-hd/feed/0My Say On Blu-Ray: ‘The Hundred-Foot Journey’http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/12/10/my-say-on-blu-ray-the-hundred-foot-journey/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/12/10/my-say-on-blu-ray-the-hundred-foot-journey/#commentsWed, 10 Dec 2014 09:49:10 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=294347This movie was a feast for the eyes. It's the first movie I've seen in a long time that, except for a certain pigeon recipe, made me hungry just watching.]]>This movie was a feast for the eyes. It’s the first movie I’ve seen in a long time that, except for a certain pigeon dish, made me hungry just watching.

This movie, which was produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, is about an Indian family that owns and operates a thriving restaurant in their home country. One night following an election, an angry mob storms the restaurant and burns it to the ground, killing with it the mother of the family. Deciding it’s too dangerous to stay, the family flees Europe, finally settling in a french village.

Doing what they do best, the family converts a large home on the outskirts of town into their new restaurant, much to the displeasure of the owner of a well-known, revered and French restaurant just across the street — 100 feet away. The owner of the French restaurant, played by Academy Award-Winner Helen Mirren, does things like buy up all of the ingredients used to make the items on the Indian restaurant’s menu and has the restaurant’s sign removed because it violates zoning laws. Their rivalry escalates in a series of funny events.

The movie’s protagonist, played by Manish Dayal, gives a solid performance as the oldest child of the Indian family and gifted chef eager to work for Mirren and learn how to cook French cuisine. He gets a spot at her restaurant and quickly gains notoriety for infusing spices into the dishes he learns, which leads him away from the town and the young female chef he’s fallen for.

Although a little predicable, the film was overall entertaining — a good date film — and a definite must-see for foodies. And while it tackled some pretty serious topics, had some very funny scenes.

This movie is rated PG-13.

The DVD extras include an interview with Spielberg and Winfrey as they discuss their first project together in 30 years.

This is a great collection of your favorite wacky episodes from throughout the seasons. Plus you get a fun backpack as a great accessory! It’s hard to pick a favorite episode with such a nice variety.

That’s the great thing about this DVD there will be an episode for anyone to like, which also makes this a great DVD for someone who hasn’t seen the show before.

This is definitely a must-have DVD for the holiday season. It will make a fantastic gift!

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/11/25/dvd-review-adventure-time-finn-the-human/feed/1Planes 2: Fire and Rescuehttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/30/planes-2-fire-and-rescue/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/30/planes-2-fire-and-rescue/#commentsThu, 30 Oct 2014 22:34:51 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=283668Fire & Rescue comes out on Blu-ray on November 4th, 2014. Planes 2 is the second installment, following Planes. This movie feels very low budget and it is not hard to tell that it was originally intended to be straight to DVD.]]>

Credit: Disney

Fire & Rescue comes out on Blu-ray on November 4th, 2014. Planes 2 is the second installment, following Planes. This movie feels very low budget and it is not hard to tell that it was originally intended to be straight to DVD. That said, it was still extremely profitable in theaters and continues to be a franchise children under 10 love.

This movie does have some big name voice overs such and Dane Cook and Julie Bowen which increase it’s cinematic feel. As does the use of other cinematic techniques such as transitions and sound effects. But DisneyToon Studios comes no where near the quality in comparison to Disney Animation and Pixar Animation. The storytelling is generic and underwhelming. One thing you can take away in particular are the wonderfully impressive fire effects. The artists and sound designers must have really loved these scenes because they stand out above all in the movie.

As mediocre Planes 2 is as a whole, most children will be very excited to watch it.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/30/planes-2-fire-and-rescue/feed/1My Say On Blu Ray: ‘Adventure Time: The Complete Fourth Season on Blu-ray™ and DVD’http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/14/adventure-time-the-complete-fourth-season-on-blu-ray-and-dvd/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/14/adventure-time-the-complete-fourth-season-on-blu-ray-and-dvd/#commentsTue, 14 Oct 2014 08:37:29 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=292969You’re either in or your out when it comes to Adventure Time. As this is the release of Adventure Time: The Complete Fourth Season you have probably already made up your mind. ]]>

Credit: Cartoon Network

You’re either in or your out when it comes to Adventure Time. As this is the release of Adventure Time: The Complete Fourth Season you have probably already made up your mind.

Season four will continue the wacky tales of Jack and Finn on their journey through the post-apocalyptic journey through the Land of Ooo. There are a lot of fun adventures and eye candy galore. Definitely a great addition to your Adventure Time collection.

Bonus Features on Full Season Set Include Exclusive Featurette on ‘The Music of Adventure Time,’
Commentaries for all 26 Episodes and Much More.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/14/adventure-time-the-complete-fourth-season-on-blu-ray-and-dvd/feed/0My Say on Blu-Ray: Sleeping Beauty Diamond Editionhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/09/my-say-on-blu-ray-sleeping-beauty-diamond-edition/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/09/my-say-on-blu-ray-sleeping-beauty-diamond-edition/#commentsFri, 10 Oct 2014 06:35:19 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=278373Maleficent never looked so bad, and I mean that in the best way possible. Legendary Disney animator Marc Davis created this beautiful and brooding protagonist at a time when the studio’s villans were still bad to the bone, rather than mostly bad, but just a little funny, or didn’t, as one animator said, “scare the popcorn out of the kids.”]]>

Credit: Disney

Maleficent never looked so bad, and I mean that in the best way possible. Legendary Disney animator Marc Davis created this beautiful and brooding protagonist at a time when the studio’s villans were still bad to the bone, rather than mostly bad, but just a little funny, or didn’t, as one animator said, “scare the popcorn out of the kids.” She was the character who kept kids captivated in fear before the likes of Cruella de Vil from “101 Dalmations” and Madam Mim from “The Sword in the Stone” made their way to the Disney screen and gave kids a side of laughter as well.

With the “Sleeping Beauty” Diamond Edition Blu-Ray Maleficent is a high-definition wonder in vivid color. What adds to the magic of this new edition is the medieval kingdom in which it takes place is also brought to life in rich tones, becoming a stellar backdrop for the horned beauty of the underworld.

My four-year-old daughter said this version was more “yucky” than her well-worn VHS copy (yes, some things are still worth holding onto — especially if handled by little fingers), referring to the greenish slime coating the walls of Maleficent’s dungeon. And it seemed more “smoky” as well, she said, meaning the smoke curling about Maleficent when she appeared before Prince Philip could no longer be confused for just dust on the tape. I had to agree. It really was fun to watch again — if not just to take note of the subtle details that are enhanced so much more with this newest release.

The bonus features are pretty cool. Among them are three deleted scenes consisting of rough drawings of varying detail/quality narrated and played by voice actors. All three will delight especially the older Disney fans. Having watched them all, I can honestly say, Disney did the right thing in leaving these scenes out. While entertaining, I can see how including them in the film would add a little unnecessary complexity and change the tone of the film slightly. All fun to watch nonetheless. The other great bone feature I enjoyed was the piece about Marc Davis and the characters he created. You get a sense from hearing about other lead animators of how influential and incredibly talented he was. Originally selected to animate animals (Flower from Bambi), Davis emerged as the creator several other Disney villains just because he was among the best — if not the number one at the time.

There are also some fun features geared more towards the kids as well.

Don’ t miss out on this piece of classic Disney art. Pick up a copy today!

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/09/my-say-on-blu-ray-sleeping-beauty-diamond-edition/feed/6My Say On Blu-Ray: ‘Supermensch’http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/09/my-say-on-blu-ray-supermensch/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/09/my-say-on-blu-ray-supermensch/#commentsThu, 09 Oct 2014 20:53:02 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=278264The Legend of Shep Gordon is a bright and energetic film that will be enjoyed by most adults. ]]>The Legend of Shep Gordon is a bright and energetic film that will be enjoyed by most adults.

This film is about the life of manager and Hollywood insider Shep Gordon. He is a legend within the industry, most notably for launching Alice Cooper’s career.

This is Mike Myers director debut film and there are some telltale signs. It is a bit scattered at times and the narration seems to come and go. It doesn’t take long for you to realize that Mike Myers worships Shep Gordon as if her were a hero.

From watching the film you get the feeling like Gordon wasn’t as likable as you may think, but Gordon has always been so charismatic. You see a wide variety of celebrities telling great stories about Gordon, but they are mostly one-sided stories.

Gordon’s career has been eclectic to say the least. Not only did he make a name for him self as a manager in the music business, but he also created the “Celebrity Chef” phenomenon. With so much to discuss, the film moves right along and there isn’t a dull moment. If you are hoping for an inside story, you won’t get that here. You will get heartfelt story telling that’s satisfying in the end.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/10/09/my-say-on-blu-ray-supermensch/feed/0By Say On Blu-Ray: ’14 Blades’http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/by-say-on-blu-ray-14-blades/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/by-say-on-blu-ray-14-blades/#commentsFri, 12 Sep 2014 19:40:41 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=271877This foreign film (Mandarin language) does offer English and Spanish subtitles, which is a nice feature. There are some good fighting scenes but the edits are too quick you don't get to enjoy their full potential]]>This foreign film (Mandarin language) does offer English and Spanish subtitles, which is a nice feature. There are some good fighting scenes but the edits are too quick you don’t get to enjoy their full potential.

Any Donnie Yen fan will enjoy this film. If you are a purist then stick with the original. As for this Blu-ray transfer it was not done well. There is too much detail in some shots. So much that the background can look artificial. Also the darker scenes just end up muddy and distracting. Overall there is a drab flat feeling to the whole look of this movie.

Synopsis:
Qinglong (action icon Donnie Yen) is a legendary royal guard-trained in a clandestine form of combat from childhood in order to devote his life and lethal prowess to the service of the Emperor. When the Imperial Court is taken over by an evil traitor, Jia (Law Kar-Ying), and betrayal lurks at every corner, Qinglong finds himself hunted by those he once trusted. Now as the most wanted man in the land, he must seek out and rally the loyalists to rise against Jia and restore the Emperor to his rightful place!

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/by-say-on-blu-ray-14-blades/feed/1My Say On Blu-Ray: “Thomas & Friends: Tale of the Brave – The Movie”http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/my-say-on-blu-ray-thomas-friends-tale-of-the-brave-the-movie/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/my-say-on-blu-ray-thomas-friends-tale-of-the-brave-the-movie/#commentsFri, 12 Sep 2014 19:37:54 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=271874Calling all Thomas fans! A fun film for the younger crowd. Ride along on this adventure with Thomas and old friends as well as meet new characters. There is so much heart in this story and the characters feel genuine.]]>Calling all Thomas fans! A fun film for the younger crowd. Ride along on this adventure with Thomas and old friends as well as meet new characters. There is so much heart in this story and the characters feel genuine. You will enjoy throwbacks to the classic and how they blend well with the new material. You too can enjoy this movie on September 16th.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/my-say-on-blu-ray-thomas-friends-tale-of-the-brave-the-movie/feed/0My Say On Blu-Ray: ‘An American Girl: Isabelle Dances Into the Spotlight’http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/my-say-on-blu-ray-an-american-girl-isabelle-dances-into-the-spotlight/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/my-say-on-blu-ray-an-american-girl-isabelle-dances-into-the-spotlight/#commentsFri, 12 Sep 2014 19:35:18 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=271871This live action American Girl movie has a great message for elementary school aged girls. Individuality, creativity and confidence. A positive movie experience that will boost self esteem. ]]>This live action American Girl movie has a great message for elementary school aged girls. Individuality, creativity and confidence. A positive movie experience that will boost self esteem. Remember this is a dance movie so be prepared for the non stop pop music. As for the Blu-ray quality… it lacks. The lighting is dull and the colors seem flat. You don’t get very much detail in the faces but here and there you will notice improved clarity.

The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray™ disc, DVD, Digital HD with UltraViolet™.
• Blu-ray™ disc unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
• DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
• DIGITAL HD with Ultraviolet lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download movies to watch on iPad®, iPhone®, Android™, smart TVs, connected Blu-ray players, game consoles, and more.

SYNOPSIS
Isabelle (Erin Pitt) is an inspired dancer with a flair for fashion design. She’s thrilled to be studying ballet at a prestigious performing arts school, but is surrounded by talented classmates—and she can’t help feeling that she’s always in the shadow of her “perfect” older sister, Jade (Grace Davidson). So when her idol, a famous ballerina, encourages her to audition for a professional ballet, Isabelle isn’t sure she can land the role. And when a competitive classmate starts pointing out Isabelle’s every mistake, her confidence sinks even further. Can she find the courage to step into the spotlight and discover her own way to shine? Melora Hardin of the hit television show “The Office” also stars in this “sweet story that teaches the benefits of hard work, determination and focus” (Julie Kertes, L.A. Parent Magazine).

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/my-say-on-blu-ray-an-american-girl-isabelle-dances-into-the-spotlight/feed/1My San On Blu-Ray: ‘R.L. Stine’s Mostly Ghostly: Have You Met My Ghoulfriend?’http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/my-san-on-blu-ray-r-l-stines-mostly-ghostly-have-you-met-my-ghoulfriend/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/my-san-on-blu-ray-r-l-stines-mostly-ghostly-have-you-met-my-ghoulfriend/#commentsFri, 12 Sep 2014 19:33:41 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=271868What a great movie to get you in the mood this Halloween season. A fun adventure that is family friendly. There is a mild thrill and chill factor, but if you or kids ever watched the Disney channel, you will surely enjoy this flick. Don’t forget the popcorn with this one.]]>What a great movie to get you in the mood this Halloween season. A fun adventure that is family friendly. There is a mild thrill and chill factor, but if you or kids ever watched the Disney channel, you will surely enjoy this flick. Don’t forget the popcorn with this one.

The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray™, DVD and DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™.
• Blu-ray™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
• DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
• DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/my-san-on-blu-ray-r-l-stines-mostly-ghostly-have-you-met-my-ghoulfriend/feed/0My Say On Blu-Ray: ‘Barbie at the Secret Door’http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/11/my-say-on-blu-ray-barbie-at-the-secret-door/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/11/my-say-on-blu-ray-barbie-at-the-secret-door/#commentsThu, 11 Sep 2014 18:21:22 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=271536Nothing new here in this adventure for Barbie. It’s a typical plot where Barbie has a problem to deal that is solved by her entering a magical world.
]]>Nothing new here in this adventure for Barbie. It’s a typical plot where Barbie has a problem to deal that is solved by her entering a magical world.

Although this is a children’s movie, the plot is so flat I would recommend this movie for young children. Better yet, skip the movie and buy the doll. If you must, you can buy this Blu-ray on September 16th.

It’s The Ultimate Fairytale Musical!™ Barbie™ stars as Alexa™, a shy princess who discovers a secret door in her kingdom and enters a whimsical land filled with magical creatures and surprises. Inside, Alexa™ meets Romy™ and Nori™, a mermaid and a fairy, who explain that a spoiled ruler named Malucia is trying to take all the magic in the land. To her surprise, Alexa™ has magical powers in this world, and her new friends are certain that only she can restore their magic. Discover what happens when Alexa™ finds the courage to stand up for what’s right and learns that the power of friendship is far more precious than magic. With seven original songs and a trifecta of characters, Barbie™ and The Secret Door will be a sure-fire favorite for Barbie™ fans of all ages. The film will be available on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack including Blu-ray™, DVD, & DIGITAL￼ HD with UltraViolet™ on September 16, 2014, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray™, DVD and DIGITAL HD with Ultraviolet™.
• Blu-ray™ unleashes the power￼ of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
• DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
• DIGITAL HD with Ultraviolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

BONUS FEATURES:
• “If I Had Magic” Music Video
• Outtakes
• “Barbie™ Life In The Dreamhouse” Episodes
• “Anything Is Possible” Music Video

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/11/my-say-on-blu-ray-barbie-at-the-secret-door/feed/0DVD Review: ‘My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Spooktacular Pony Tales’http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/08/dvd-review-my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-spooktacular-pony-tales/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/08/dvd-review-my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-spooktacular-pony-tales/#commentsTue, 09 Sep 2014 05:31:38 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=270854If you’re looking to find the spookiest of episodes of My Little Pony all in one place, look no further than MLP’s “Spooktacular Pony Tales’ DVD. Six of the seasons’ spookiest episodes are compiled on […]]]>If you’re looking to find the spookiest of episodes of My Little Pony all in one place, look no further than MLP’s “Spooktacular Pony Tales’ DVD. Six of the seasons’ spookiest episodes are compiled on one disc; with episodes such as “Luna Eclipsed” and “Bats!” fans of all ages can enjoy this DVD.

While this isn’t a stand-along Halloween-themed movie, Bronies, Pega Sisters, children and their parents can enjoy re-watching The Great and Powerful Trixie’s debut in “Boast Busters,” Nightmare Moon’s struggle to overcome her terrifying reputation during Nightmare Night in “Luna Eclipsed,” and the ever-awesome Flutter Bat in “Bats!”

As an avid fan in her twenties, I’ve found the show has something for fans of all ages. While many people believe this is a show for little girls, it’s quite the opposite: It’s a compelling show for both genders of all ages to enjoy. While the image of female ponies is appealing to girls, the compelling characters (full of character flaws, growth, regression and humor adults can appreciate), the delicious and smart villains, the juicy and well-thought-out plots provide a more than adequate reason for adults (and men) to enjoy the show. Through the power of friendship, we all can learn from the mistakes and triumphs of the characters.

With season four being over, fans can enjoy the nostalgia of re-watching episodes from season one all the way through episode four. The first episode on the DVD is when The Great and Powerful Trixie makes her grand entrance. Through Trixie’s hubris, we learn it isn’t wise to boast about successes we haven’t achieved – we also learn how scary an Ursa Minor can be (and how hard it is to defeat it) – let alone its mother! In the second episode, “Stare Master,” we watch Fluttershy struggle to control three young and rambunctious philles. When these phillies run into a monster that can turn them into stone, Fluttershy steps up and stares the beast into submission. The third episode (admittedly, one of my favorites) is “Luna Eclipsed.” In this episode, Nightmare Moon, a.k.a Princess Luna graces Ponyville during Nightmare Night (the equivalent of Halloween). The princess struggles to gain the love of her subjects, but learns sometimes it pays to be scary – especially during Nightmare Night.

Next we watch “Sleepless in Ponyville,” an episode where a young Pegasus struggles to conquer her nightmares due to her own insecurities. With the help of Princess Luna, the young Pegasus is able to face her spooky nightmares. The second to last episode is another one of my favorites, “Castle Mane-ia.” This fun-filled episode is one geeks alike can enjoy. We see our favorite ponies transformed into well-known comic book characters who have to battle the deliciously evil (and crazy) villain. Parents who enjoyed reading or watching Marvel comic books and movies will enjoy Fluttershy’s rendition of The Hulk. Finally, we finish the DVD with “Bats!” from season four. This fun episode shows the power of friendship and loyalty as we watch the kind-hearted and timid Fluttershy turn into the aggressive and hungry Flutter Bat.

The DVD also contains a bonus feature. While the bonus feature isn’t much, fans can enjoy singing along to the song featured in “Bats!” As far as bonuses go, that is about it.

Despite the lack of bonus features, the DVD is still a fun and nostalgic way for fans to enjoy past episodes of the series.

]]>http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/09/08/dvd-review-my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-spooktacular-pony-tales/feed/1My Say On Blu-Ray: 5 New Disney Releases On Blu-Rayhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/08/22/blu-ray-review-5-new-disney-releases-on-blu-ray/
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/08/22/blu-ray-review-5-new-disney-releases-on-blu-ray/#commentsFri, 22 Aug 2014 08:12:36 +0000Cameron Glennhttp://sacramento.cbslocal.com/?p=267072Disney just released five movies on Blu-Ray for the first time ever: Tarzan, Hercules,Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The 10th anniversary of Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers and The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. All five hit the store shelves on August 12. ]]>

Credit: Disney

Disney just released five movies on Blu-Ray for the first time: Tarzan, Hercules,Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The 10th anniversary of Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers and The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. All five hit the store shelves on August 12.

I’m always interested in reviewing Disney re-releases of older films to see how they stand up in HD. Having seen them all in VHS many times over, seeing them on Blu-Ray is amazing — almost like getting glasses for the first time. And I’m happy to say that Disney doesn’t disappoint. Some of the bonuses packed into these discs are in HD as well.

Three Musketeers

This is the newest of the five releases, so I was expecting that the quality of the picture would be better than the rest. And I was great. The HD had rich, vibrant colors and excellent sound in the main feature.

Included in the bonuses are Get Up And Dance, a feature where kids can dance along to the characters. It also has a commentary, which is cute, although I have to admit, if I have to hear Donald going off, I’d much rather see him doing something funny and go off rather than just hear him. There are also deleted scenes, which I find fascinating because you get to hear why sequences end up on the cutting room floor — and there are several for this movie.

Tarzan

The first thing I notice is a cool loading animation. It’s the silhouette of Tarzan being drawn. A nice touch.

The main menu has Tarzan and his gorilla family exploring the man-camp, which is one of my favorite parts of the film. Maybe it’s because when my kids were really little, their banging on pots and pans in the kitchen always reminded me of this part of the film and the song.

The Blu-Ray has the same long list of classic bonus features that came out on the DVD release, including deleted scenes: Introduction, alternate opening, Terk finds the camp, and Riverboat fight, Backstage Disney and Music and More. And by more, they mean more. There are at least three musical features. This disc has the most bonus features, which if you haven’t already seen, are very cool.

Hercules

There isn’t much new to report about Hercules. The fact that it’s on Blu-Ray and it looks great is the biggest feature. As far as bonus features go, you have the making of the film, a video by Ricky Martin and a karaoke clip of “Zero to Hero” — none of which are in HD. Not riveting by any means, but stuff that big fans of the film will appreciate.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks

This is truly a Disney classic, and my favorite of the new releases..Set in London during World War II, three siblings are sent from London to the English countryside to escape the German bombing raids. They discover their hostess is an aspiring witch who sweeps them up on an adventure to a mystical land run by talking cartoon animals. They also fend off their town from invading Nazis using a Medieval army.

The main menu was cute. It features the main characters flying around the countryside on the bed. I had to watch it for a little while to catch all of the little visual subtleties. This disc also had a special loading animation: a glowing bedknob.

I especially like the bonus features included with this release. A newer segment titled “The Wizard of Special Effects” explains the ground-breaking technology used in 1971 to pull off the show’s special effects. Next is song selection. It allows you to jump right to the songs from the movie and turn on or off the subtitles. So now you can sing to your heart’s content with Tomlinson and Lansbury as they bob along “at the bottom of the beautiful briny sea” — decades before Ariel or Flounder come on the scene. You also get extended scenes and songs; and snippet of the recording session in which David Tomlinson records the end of “Portobello Road”. It’s more of a historical piece than entertainment, in my opinion, but interesting nonetheless. Finally, Disney includes a video called “Music Magic: The Sherman Brothers”, about the musical masterminds behind this and several other Disney features.

Last, but not least is Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Unlike the movies mentioned above, these films, which are combined on one Blu-Ray disc (or on two DVDs) do not include a digital copy. They do, however, look great on Blu-Ray. Bonus features include a film called “The Reluctant Dragon”, which follows the fictional writer of the story of the same name to Disneyland to pitch his story to Walt himself. He’s allowed on Disney property, and along the way to his meeting, gets to see how Disney movies are made. It’s a fun feature for fans of early Disney and that time period.

If you’re looking for some wholesome classic movies, give any of these titles a try. They’ll have you singing along before you can say bibbity, boppity, boop!